Family Options

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Our FAMILY OPTIONS are designed to help your family move through difficult situations as quickly and productively as possible.[/highlight_content]

Families often face conflict – problems with relatives, parenting-style differences, parent-and-teen disagreements, elder care disputes, financial disagreements and divorce. When family problems arise, we can help family members resolve the issues quickly and peacefully. Each problem may require one service, or a combination of the services featured below.
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Mediation

Mediation can help families stay together or to separate in a productive manner. Mediation can help a divorcing couple address the separation agreement and parenting plan in a way that minimizes tension and allows people to part as peacefully as possible. Often, along with the parenting plan, mediation includes a communications plan that helps parents maintain a positive parenting relationship for their children.[/one_third][one_third]

Arbitration

When someone else needs to make the decision for you, arbitration can help. An arbitration looks much like a mediation where each side is given an opportunity to discuss their needs and interests. In the end, the arbitrator will create the final agreement for you. Arbitration can be either binding or non-binding. If parties agree in the beginning that the arbitration will be non-binding, they will still have the opportunity to continue their dispute in court. [/one_third][one_third class=”lastcols”]

Med-Arb (Mediation/Arbitration)

A hybrid model where people work with a neutral person who initially tries to mediate the dispute. If an agreement on all issues is not reached, the facilitator will change hats and become an arbitrator.

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Coaching

When an individual is unsure how to address a family dispute, a trained coach will help the person consider options and create a plan for how the conflict can be addressed.[/one_third][one_third]

Team Decision-Making

Human Services Departments often use this process to work with families in high conflict, and it can be adapted to work in a variety of situations, including elder care disputes and other family issues, even when government intervention is not needed. This model brings family members, case workers, community resources, counselors and all other appropriate resources to one meeting. A facilitator helps everyone to collaborate on drafting a plan over a specific issue or set of issues. [/one_third][one_third class=”lastcols”]

Family Group Conferencing

This model is much like team decision-making. In this case, the facilitator spends a significant amount of time with each participant before the meeting. When everyone comes together, the facilitator begins the meeting and remains on hand to help your family work through the problems and create a plan on their own.[/one_third]